1
as in curious
interested in what is not one's own business
as we moved into our new home, we could sense that there were prying eyes watching us
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in busy
thrusting oneself where one is not welcome or invited
prying neighbors who refuse to mind their own business
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in questioning
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
1
as in pulling
to raise, move, or pull apart with or as if with a lever
it took some effort to pry up the trap door
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in yanking
to draw out by force or with effort
a vain attempt to pry the cork out of a wine bottle
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in interfering
to interest oneself in what is not one's concern
don't go prying into other people's business
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of prying
Nicholas Ivor Martin and Jacobina Martin, oregonlive, 4 Feb. 2023
But inquiring into the specifics of familial dynamics is impudent and prying — and a line of questioning that most people would be happy to avoid answering themselves.
—Jacobina Martin, Washington Post, 4 Feb. 2023
The Google Nest Hub (7/10, WIRED Recommends) is a great smart display with no camera (and therefore no risk of unwanted prying eyes).
—Brenda Stolyar and Medea Giordano, WIRED, 28 Nov. 2022
To my mind, however, there’s a difference between a Google or a Facebook, which provide valuable services in return for their prying eyes, and an app that serves a single, ostensibly benign purpose — parking validation.
—Los Angeles Times, 12 Nov. 2021
Carry two phones While anti-spy software may be effective in staving off the prying eyes of the Chinese government, not everyone knows how to install it.
—Jane Li, Quartz, 6 Aug. 2019
Its purpose: to train librarians to implement secure protocols on their own web services, and to teach members of the community to evade the prying eyes of governments, corporations, and criminal hackers.
—Eoin O'Carroll, The Christian Science Monitor, 18 Oct. 2017
One reason Russians have loaded up on passports is that Cypriot citizenship helps them avoid the prying eyes of their government and pay lower taxes.
—Yalman Onaran, Bloomberg.com, 11 May 2017
Jason Sheeler, Condé Nast Traveler, 20 Feb. 2026
But in the quietest corner of the 10-acre sanctuary, away from the public’s prying eyes, a cohort of most unusual occupants sleep.
—Shi En Kim, AZCentral.com, 20 Feb. 2026
Videos of the shooting have spread online and appear to show Good, 37, being told to get out of her car, with one agent walking and prying at the door handle.
—Melissa Gomez, Los Angeles Times, 8 Jan. 2026
That was what led the princess to send her staff away and sneak the BBC crew in for the interview, isolating herself in the face of Bashir’s prying questions.
—Theresa Braine, Mercury News, 26 Nov. 2025
The New Jersey native also teased some new music on the way after some prying from Hudson.
—Michael Saponara, Billboard, 28 Oct. 2025
The prying end also serves as a nail puller, box cutter and bottle opener.
—Ben Coxworth
october 07, New Atlas, 7 Oct. 2025
The film stages its riot of activity as hard-nosed honesty, but its portrait is ultimately as ginned-up and inexact as the fictional news broadcast’s lurid prying.
—Richard Lawson, IndieWire, 5 Sep. 2025
Other prying eyes won’t have access to the documents, either.
—Zoe Guy, Vulture, 4 Sep. 2025
Alice Park, Time, 22 Feb. 2026
Most recently, this meant prying off press-on nails that were very firmly glued on.
—Tamim Alnuweiri, InStyle, 21 Feb. 2026
But pull her away from the TV cameras, photographers and the prying eyes of the world, and her sarcastic-bordering-on-vulgar sense of humor bubbles to the surface.
—Dave Skretta, Chicago Tribune, 17 Feb. 2026
But pull her away from the TV cameras, photographers and the prying eyes of the world, and her sarcastic-bordering-on-vulgar sense of humor bubbles to the surface.
—Dallas Morning News, 16 Feb. 2026
By simply rolling the stamp over sensitive text, feel confident that private information is safe from prying eyes.
—Tory Johnson, ABC News, 16 Feb. 2026
Dealing with prying relatives or well-meaning (or not-so-well-meaning) smug married friends?
—Literary Hub, 13 Feb. 2026
But fortunately for you, there are no paparazzi or prying eyes, because these suites are designed as private enclaves, where you are hidden from the world while out on the open seas.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 Feb. 2026
The Guesthouse Under the Reed Roof answers this with a central concrete block that contains the bathroom, positioning it safely away from prying eyes.
—New Atlas, 10 Feb. 2026
Adjective
But inquiring into the specifics of familial dynamics is impudent and prying -- and a line of questioning that most people would be happy to avoid answering themselves.
—Nicholas Ivor Martin and Jacobina Martin, oregonlive, 4 Feb. 2023
But inquiring into the specifics of familial dynamics is impudent and prying — and a line of questioning that most people would be happy to avoid answering themselves.
—Jacobina Martin, Washington Post, 4 Feb. 2023
The Google Nest Hub (7/10, WIRED Recommends) is a great smart display with no camera (and therefore no risk of unwanted prying eyes).
—Brenda Stolyar and Medea Giordano, WIRED, 28 Nov. 2022
To my mind, however, there’s a difference between a Google or a Facebook, which provide valuable services in return for their prying eyes, and an app that serves a single, ostensibly benign purpose — parking validation.
—Los Angeles Times, 12 Nov. 2021
Carry two phones While anti-spy software may be effective in staving off the prying eyes of the Chinese government, not everyone knows how to install it.
—Jane Li, Quartz, 6 Aug. 2019
Its purpose: to train librarians to implement secure protocols on their own web services, and to teach members of the community to evade the prying eyes of governments, corporations, and criminal hackers.
—Eoin O'Carroll, The Christian Science Monitor, 18 Oct. 2017
One reason Russians have loaded up on passports is that Cypriot citizenship helps them avoid the prying eyes of their government and pay lower taxes.
—Yalman Onaran, Bloomberg.com, 11 May 2017
Noun
Palm Springs Has Still Got It This desert enclave has long been many things at once—a spa town, a sanctuary away from Hollywood's prying eyes, a design capital, a shoo-in for winter sun.
—Jason Sheeler, Condé Nast Traveler, 20 Feb. 2026
But in the quietest corner of the 10-acre sanctuary, away from the public’s prying eyes, a cohort of most unusual occupants sleep.
—Shi En Kim, AZCentral.com, 20 Feb. 2026
Videos of the shooting have spread online and appear to show Good, 37, being told to get out of her car, with one agent walking and prying at the door handle.
—Melissa Gomez, Los Angeles Times, 8 Jan. 2026
That was what led the princess to send her staff away and sneak the BBC crew in for the interview, isolating herself in the face of Bashir’s prying questions.
—Theresa Braine, Mercury News, 26 Nov. 2025
The New Jersey native also teased some new music on the way after some prying from Hudson.
—Michael Saponara, Billboard, 28 Oct. 2025
The prying end also serves as a nail puller, box cutter and bottle opener.
—Ben Coxworth
october 07, New Atlas, 7 Oct. 2025
The film stages its riot of activity as hard-nosed honesty, but its portrait is ultimately as ginned-up and inexact as the fictional news broadcast’s lurid prying.
—Richard Lawson, IndieWire, 5 Sep. 2025
Other prying eyes won’t have access to the documents, either.
—Zoe Guy, Vulture, 4 Sep. 2025
Verb
Glenn stepped in to hug her and shield her from prying cameras that had zoomed in on the distraught Sakamoto.
—Alice Park, Time, 22 Feb. 2026
Most recently, this meant prying off press-on nails that were very firmly glued on.
—Tamim Alnuweiri, InStyle, 21 Feb. 2026
But pull her away from the TV cameras, photographers and the prying eyes of the world, and her sarcastic-bordering-on-vulgar sense of humor bubbles to the surface.
—Dave Skretta, Chicago Tribune, 17 Feb. 2026
But pull her away from the TV cameras, photographers and the prying eyes of the world, and her sarcastic-bordering-on-vulgar sense of humor bubbles to the surface.
—Dallas Morning News, 16 Feb. 2026
By simply rolling the stamp over sensitive text, feel confident that private information is safe from prying eyes.
—Tory Johnson, ABC News, 16 Feb. 2026
Dealing with prying relatives or well-meaning (or not-so-well-meaning) smug married friends?
—Literary Hub, 13 Feb. 2026
But fortunately for you, there are no paparazzi or prying eyes, because these suites are designed as private enclaves, where you are hidden from the world while out on the open seas.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 Feb. 2026
The Guesthouse Under the Reed Roof answers this with a central concrete block that contains the bathroom, positioning it safely away from prying eyes.
—New Atlas, 10 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prying
Adjective
-
Davis is a curious sort of colorist, using a limited palette that works overtime in the production of moods.—
Zachary Fine,
New Yorker,
23 Feb. 2026
-
Underneath the hood As detailed here extensively in recent weeks, the surface-level steadiness in the S & P 500 is a curious result of fast-moving opposing currents underneath.—
Michael Santoli,
CNBC,
23 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Breakfast is a busy affair, but those in signature suites can eat in the lounge (soon to be renovated but with a great view) or order room service.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
22 Feb. 2026
-
Soundstages in Los Angeles would be busy, thousands of people would be working in those few months early in the year, producing shows that ranged from all-time classics to all-time blunders.—
Rick Porter,
HollywoodReporter,
21 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
He has since been turned over to the FBI for questioning, deputies said.—
Dean Fioresi,
CBS News,
22 Feb. 2026
-
During the questioning, government prosecutor Jason Wu asked Noelcius if the warrant authorized anyone to kill the president, capture and take him out of the country or give foreigners the right to take it from the internet to execute it.—
Jacqueline Charles,
Miami Herald,
21 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
The psychological appeal of Punch is readily apparent for even the least inquisitive of people.—
CT Jones,
Rolling Stone,
20 Feb. 2026
-
There, Arco finds an inquisitive ally in Iris (Romy Fay), a girl his age, but with a different experience growing up.—
Carlos Aguilar,
Variety,
6 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
There is plenty to chew on within the script, but what seems missing is a more concrete interrogation of the ultimate downfall.—
David John Chávez,
Mercury News,
25 Feb. 2026
-
Based on reconstructed transcripts of Gein’s November 1957 confessions, the two-part film brings the interrogation to life using generative AI alongside a performance from an actor portraying the detective who led the case.—
Max Goldbart,
Deadline,
24 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
With superpowers, who brings down two Israeli fighter jets, because their intrusive sounds wake him up from his sleep.—
Dana Harris-Bridson,
IndieWire,
21 Feb. 2026
-
Unfortunately, once the law is involved, a crime has to be reported, setting in motion a chain of events that are extremely upsetting to the old lady, starting with an intrusive internal examination.—
Damon Wise,
Deadline,
19 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Under the pressures of public strain and ongoing media inquiries, Scofield, 40, further declined as fears over the safety of herself and her family took hold.—
Kevin Fixler,
Idaho Statesman,
26 Feb. 2026
-
With his winters and springs occupied, Harper typically gets inquiries about a certain fall sport.—
Michael Osipoff,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
The film allows the viewer to be nosy and get a sense of what other people consider desirable living conditions.—
Nina Metz,
Chicago Tribune,
16 Feb. 2026
-
This is a great book for anyone who’s both nosy and curious, and for anyone who may have been blindsided by a divorce or break-up themselves.—
Hayley Maitland,
Vogue,
14 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Prying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prying. Accessed 27 Feb. 2026.
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